by Jaci Burton
“Something smells good,” he said.
“I hope you don’t mind. I foraged in your kitchen and made dinner.”
He gave her a curious look, then a smile. “I don’t mind at all that you made yourself at home. You’re welcome to do that anytime.”
Her heart squeezed at his words. He hadn’t objected or been appalled that she’d taken over his kitchen. He hadn’t felt proprietary about his house at all. In fact, he’d welcomed her with open arms, had even allowed her to decorate for Christmas. She felt more at home here than she had . . . anywhere before.
Dangerous thoughts, Alice.
Yes, they were. “I opened a bottle of red to go with dinner. I’ll put the spaghetti on and the bread in the oven.”
“There’s bread?” He glanced over at the counter.
“I’m making bread.”
“I love homemade bread.”
“Then you’re going to love tonight’s dinner.”
“Can’t wait. You made me work today.”
She cocked her head to the side. “I think your job is a lot harder than what you did with me today.”
“I don’t know. Typically I’m on a horse, just loping along . . .”
She laughed and pushed at him. “Go wash your hands. I’ll finish getting dinner ready.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He wandered down the hall, and she put the bread in the oven, then turned the heat up on the water for the spaghetti. She lifted the lid on the sauce and saw it was nicely simmering. She grabbed a spoon to taste. It was perfect.
She poured wine into the two glasses she’d found in the upper cabinet, which had required her to climb onto the counter because Clay didn’t have a step stool and she was too short to reach the shelf. So, okay, he had a nicely outfitted kitchen, which wasn’t quite set up for women who weren’t six feet four inches tall.
When he came back in, she handed him a glass of wine.
“Found the wineglasses, huh?”
“I climbed onto the kitchen counter.”
He laughed. “I would have liked to have seen that.”
“I can get things done when necessary. You need a step stool.”
“Why? I can reach everything.”
She rolled her eyes. “But your women friends can’t.”
“First, I don’t have ‘women friends.’ You’re the first woman who’s ever spent the night here.”
She didn’t want to acknowledge to herself how much she liked knowing that. “I thought you’d had girlfriends before.”
“I did, but I hadn’t built the house yet when I had said girlfriends.”
“Oh.” She sipped her wine—wow, it was outstanding. She’d have to make sure to tell the Bellinis how much she liked this cabernet.
“And I’ll get a step stool.”
“Good.” Of course the step stool wouldn’t be for her. It would be for whomever came after.
Don’t think about it.
She set her wineglass on the island, then put the spaghetti noodles in the water.
“What can I do to help?”
“Nothing. Sit. Drink your wine. You’ve worked hard enough today.”
He grinned. “I can do a lot more.”
She slanted a look at him as she swished the noodles around in the pot. “You should save your energy. You might need it later.”
He gave her a hot look over the rim of his wineglass. “Noted.”
When the bread was ready, she sliced it and left it on the small cutting board. She got out butter, then wound the spaghetti onto plates and poured sauce over it. Then she grated fresh Parmesan cheese over their food.
“We can eat in the dining room if you want,” Clay said.
“It’s just the two of us, and I like the intimacy of eating at the island, don’t you?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I do. But I didn’t know if you wanted to stretch out at the table.”
“I’m good here.”
They settled at the island, and she waited while he swirled the pasta around his fork and slid it into his mouth for a bite.
“Mmm, good,” he said, then he took a bite of bread. “Wow. Did I mention I love homemade bread?”
“You did, but I’m glad you like it. And thank you for having a well-stocked fridge and pantry.”
“I like to eat, and there’s no grocery store just around the corner or any place that delivers food.”
She hadn’t thought about that. It wasn’t like he could get Postmates or Grubhub to deliver dinner, since they were at least forty-five minutes to an hour outside of city limits. You were pretty much on your own here.
“Do you eat with your parents?”
“Sometimes. Mostly I come home, grab a beer to unwind, then fix myself dinner. My mom and dad have their own thing going on. I usually eat Sunday dinner there.”
“That’s a nice tradition.”
“Yeah, it is. What about your parents?”
“They live south of San Francisco, so we don’t see that much of each other. I’ll fly up there for special occasions like the holidays or something, but they don’t fly down to LA. They hate flying, and my dad’s eyesight isn’t great, so he doesn’t drive long distances.”
“Which means you have to go up to see them.”
“Yes. It isn’t a hardship, of course. I grew up there, so it’s nice to go home to visit on occasion.”
They finished eating, and Clay brushed away her attempts to help clean up the kitchen, which Alice didn’t feel was right since he’d done all the lighting work outside. But he wouldn’t let her lift a finger, just told her to sit and drink her wine. By the time he finished washing the dishes, she was three glasses in, and she felt warm and toasty all over. She was also feeling other things as she watched Clay wipe down the kitchen counters.
He was truly an amazing man. Thoughtful, funny, an incredible lover, and attentive. Someday, he’d make some woman very happy.
The thought of her not being that woman made her stomach clench.
But for tonight, he was hers, and she intended to make use of all of his exceptional skills.
She slid off the bar stool, skirted around the island and came up behind him. She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head against his back. He turned to face her and pulled her arms up around his neck.
“Something you want?” he asked.
“Yes. You.”
The hint of a smile crossed his lips right before he kissed her—a soft, gentle kiss. She slid her hand into his hair, tangling her fingers in the thick forest of his dark blond hair, and tugged his head closer, demanding more. He flicked her tongue with his, pressed his teeth against her bottom lip and she opened for him, moaning as he gave her exactly what she’d asked for—a deep, passionate kiss that curled her toes in her socks and made the hair on the nape of her neck stand up.
She shivered.
He pulled her in tighter and swept his hands along her back, sliding his hand under her sweater. She might have shivered, but she was definitely not cold. Not with Clay’s warm hand exploring the skin of her back, using his fingers to map his way up her spine. She wanted him to have the freedom to touch her everywhere. She wanted the same with him.
She pulled away and took his hands, walking backward and pulling him along with her. When they got to the hall, she turned and walked with him. They made it halfway before he stopped to kiss her, this time a breath-stealing kiss that left her panting and needy and reaching for his belt buckle. He yanked her sweater over her head and pulled the cup of her bra down to flick his tongue across her nipple.
“Oh my God, Clay. That’s . . .” She couldn’t even finish the sentence, because he sucked her nipple into his mouth and she could barely breathe, let alone speak.
She unzipped his jeans and massaged his cock, making him utter a string of curses
that made her quiver. She was glad he had a firm grip on her, because her legs had become jelly.
By the time they finally made it to the bedroom, she’d lost her sweater, her bra and one sock. He had taken off his shirt and his belt, and his jeans were unzipped and hanging off of him.
They made quick work of discarding the rest of their clothes and piled onto the bed. Clay’s hand roamed her body.
“I need you to come,” he whispered against her ear.
Was there anything sexier than a man talking in a low and sexy voice to a woman and saying the words she was dying to hear?
He swept his hand along her sex, circling her clit and avoiding it completely until she raised her hips and demanded he touch her there.
“Yeah, I know what you need.”
But he didn’t touch her. Instead, he scooted down and put his mouth on her. She grabbed his pillow and clenched it with her hands and bit down on her lip as he brought her to orgasm with his amazing mouth and tongue. Then he moved up her body, knelt on the side of the bed to grab a condom and slid inside of her, rolling her to the side to face him.
She raised her leg and draped it over his hip as he thrust into her. She traced his bottom lip and arched against him. She’d come—he hadn’t, so she expected him to pound into her until he released. Instead, he slowed the pace, easing in, then out of her, his gaze fixed on hers as he circled one nipple with his finger, teasing it until it hardened and she gasped, the sensation heightening everything she felt.
And she felt a lot, both physically and emotionally. Their bodies connected, the intensity of his gaze, the feel of him moving inside of her and knowing this was their last time together made her intensely aware of how precious this moment was.
He began to drive harder and she saw the perspiration drops pooling on his brow. She swept them away and inched forward to kiss him, to wrap herself in the maelstrom of the storm.
When she shattered, he went with her, grasping onto her hip and thrusting into her as he shuddered with his orgasm.
Afterward, they lay there connected in the quiet, their heaving breaths the only sounds in the silence surrounding them. Alice closed her eyes and soaked in the feel of Clay’s warm body, the way he absently stroked her skin and kissed her temple, and knowing with all she was worth that she didn’t want this to end.
He left her for only a few seconds, then came back and wrapped her in his arms. She laid her head on his chest and fell asleep to the rhythm of his heart beating against her cheek.
Chapter Thirteen
The next day was a whirlwind of activity once Lainie arrived. They were staying at a nearby hotel along with the other three bridesmaids, so Alice packed up her things at the Bellinis’ house and drove over to the hotel.
Clay had dropped her off at the Bellinis’ before dawn. He had work to do, and she understood that completely. It was crisp and cold, her breath visible in the predawn air when he’d kissed her so deeply on the Bellinis’ front porch that she’d nearly thawed out, her body leaning against his so she could absorb every hard—and warm—inch of him. She held tight to the lapels of his thick coat while he wrapped his arms around her as if he never wanted to let her go.
But he did let her go, and she took a step back.
“I guess I’ll see you . . . sometime,” he said.
She just couldn’t let it go at that. “Be my date for the wedding,”
He arched a brow. “You sure?”
“Yes. You already know the Bellinis, and I don’t have a date. You wouldn’t want me to be there all alone, would you?”
He pulled off his glove and swept his thumb across her bottom lip. “No. I wouldn’t want that. I’ll be your date.”
Her heart did a quick tumble. “I’ll text you the details.”
She couldn’t believe she wouldn’t see him until the wedding.
“Okay. I gotta go.”
She nodded and walked inside so he wouldn’t feel it necessary to hang out there anymore when she knew he had work to do.
Then she’d grabbed some coffee to warm up her near-frozen fingers and had breakfast with the Bellini family. She’d gathered some more details from Honor, who told her since the snow had only half melted they’d do the ceremony inside. They’d already decorated, and it was beautiful, Honor assured her.
Alice had no doubt about that.
She spent the day working at the Bellini’s house since it was too early to check in at the hotel. Fortunately, her work was light at the moment. She’d mostly cleared her calendar for the weekend in advance, knowing she’d be busy for Lainie’s wedding. She didn’t want any work to distract her. But she did have a few follow up calls to make, and some appointments for next week that she wanted to confirm.
While going through her email, she saw one from her client, Penelope, who’d gone on a third date with Byron, a match Alice had made.
Alice,
Just wanted to shoot you a quick note. Third date with Byron last night. Dinner, followed by a music fest. Then he kissed me. I might have swooned. I don’t know where you found this guy, but he’s simply perfect. I might be falling in love. Talk next week!
Penelope
Alice couldn’t help but squeeze her shoulders together and all but dance around the room. Making a successful match was everything. It was like . . . hitting the jackpot. All she wanted was for her clients to be happy—to fall in love.
She made a note to touch base with both Penelope and Byron when she got back to LA next week.
Later that afternoon, she packed her things, sad to be leaving this amazing place. But she’d be back for the wedding.
Once she said her good-byes to the Bellinis and arrived at the hotel, she ran into Lainie’s fiancé, Jeff, and his groomsmen. Jeff’s brother, Joe, was the best man and would be her partner in the wedding. Joe was there with his wife, Ginger, and their two-year-old son, Heath, so she spent some time visiting with them before heading up to her room to unpack and check her e-mails.
But in the meantime, she’d received a text from Lainie that they’d landed, so she’d be arriving at the hotel shortly. She switched out of professional mode. It was wedding time. On her way downstairs, her phone buzzed. She assumed it was Lainie, but she was surprised to see a text from Clay.
Hope your day is going well. I miss being next to you.
She leaned against the wall of the elevator, enveloped in so much emotion she could barely breathe.
Her feelings for Clay had developed so quickly and were so strong, she didn’t know what to make of it. It had only been—what? A week?
You couldn’t fall in love with someone in a week. They weren’t even matched. They didn’t have the same things in common. They lived in different places. Their lives didn’t even mesh. Logically, it didn’t make sense.
And yet one text message had sent her whirling. She could still smell his scent on her, could still taste his lips on her lips, could still feel his hands roaming her body, the way he’d awakened her in ways no man had ever done before.
That’s just sex, Alice. Really great sex.
No, Inner Voice, she denied. It was way more than just amazing sex. She was absolutely, one hundred percent falling in love with Clay Henry.
Not that she could do anything about it. Come Sunday she’d still be flying back to California, and Clay would be staying here in Oklahoma.
It didn’t matter how she felt. And that just flat-out sucked.
The elevator doors opened and a curvy, gorgeous blonde flung herself into Alice’s arms.
“I’m getting married! And I missed you. You have to tell me everything about the wedding venue.” Lainie hooked her arm into Alice’s and dragged her off the elevator. “I need wine. The flight was awful. All kinds of bumpy. Jeff said he’s been working nonstop and can’t wait for our honeymoon. I can’t wait, either. What have you been doing with your time
? I’m so sorry you got snowed in. Have you been able to get any work done? Tell me everything.”
Alice blinked, getting her mind-set into nonstop-talking-Lainie mode. She loved her friend madly, but Lainie could be all kinds of exhausting.
“Yes, let’s have some wine, and we’ll catch up.”
They ended up at the bar along with the rest of the wedding party. The groomsmen went off to hang out with Jeff, while Alice and Lainie were joined by Lainie’s coworker Warina, and her other friend Kari.
“This snow is incredible,” Kari said. “It’s not like we ever see anything like this in LA.”
Warina took a sip of her martini and set the glass down. “Unless we drive to the mountains. How have you survived this, Alice?”
“Actually, it hasn’t been too bad. I got some work done, and the Bellinis are wonderful hosts.”
Lainie leaned back and swirled the wine around in her glass. “Not too bad? What aren’t you telling us, Alice?”
“Nothing. I made the best of it, you know? It’s not like I could just walk out when several feet of snow fell on the ground. And I had nice company and great food. It was an adventure.”
Kari snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, a snow adventure without the skiing part.”
They explored some of Oklahoma City and had a wonderful afternoon. Alice settled into enjoying being with her best friend again, pushing everything else out of her mind. Eventually, they had dinner and drinks, and Alice made sure that Lainie stayed relaxed. She seemed to be fine, which was good.
It was fun to be with her friend. Lainie was sharp and funny, and it was clear that she and Jeff were a perfect match, and it was obvious both of them were so excited for the wedding. But Alice was exhausted, so she said good night early and went back to her room. She closed her door, but about ten minutes later there was a knock. She looked out the security hole and saw that it was Lainie, so she let her in.
“I thought you were downstairs partying,” she said.
Lainie threw herself on the bed. “I was, but I’m tired, so I wanted to get some sleep before tomorrow. And I wanted to check on you.”